consisted of fish, potatoes, and
pudding, sometimes a little salt meat, sometimes a little fresh meat,
out of the tin cases we had brought. But invariably we had a magnificent
dessert, so that the children could eat nothing for thinking of what was
coming. That important matter done, I joined the rest. Madame betook
herself to her green parasol and terrace, with a dignified but
compassionate air, as if the young ones did not know what they were
losing, in preferring play to lessons. The three little girls in high
delight went to collect that indispensable quantity of shells, that was
deemed necessary to ornament all they wished at home. The two good boys
prepared with the gravity necessary for so important a business, to fish
for our dinner, speculating upon what bait the fish would take that
particular morning, and what they would not. To which we listened in
solemn propriety, though well aware all the time they jumped at a bit of
red worsted, as much as any other thing.

But the three elder ones did not care for picking up shells, and could
not abide fishing. It was too hot to work, too sunny to read. They
wanted to sit all day long in the pockets of the two Mothers, the elder
one telling them stories, and the younger one making quaint remarks
thereon, thereby spoiling many a sentimental speech, and upsetting many
a romantic idea, but causing plenty of fun and merriment. But that could
not last all day. Though we dined at eleven, it still wanted two good
hours thereto. The big Mother was tired of telling tales; the little
Mother was weary with doing nothing. All this time the green parasol
meandered up and down, now and then sitting down to rest, and bending
towards the girls with an unmistakeable look, that seemed to say, "come
to your lessons, pray come to your lessons." But, the green parasol
nodded in vain. At last after a fit of yawning, we all went botanizing,
but that was very provoking work, for we could not tell the names of the
lovely flowers and trees we found. Sybil suggested giving them our own
names. Serena nearly broke her neck, climbing an almost inaccessible
crag, and Gatty tore her frock every five minutes.

By this time the conch-shell sounded for dinner, in doing which Jenny
blew her cheeks into the colour of a peony, we were all hot and tired
and not in a very good humour.

The more we shewed this, the more gracious and cheerful Madame became,
the little girls had been quite happy, the boys had